Just got back from visiting with family this past weekend. I was happy to see my oldest sister and her husband from Alabama.

However the crowing glory was visiting my mom. My mom, also known as "Have some more, you know I made it just for you!" Queen of Guilt.

Now before you say, "Oh come on now, no one put a gun to your head to make you overeat." Let me tell you about the Queen of Guilt.

My mom will be 80 in January. She has been a widow and lived alone for over 20 years. She is very active in her church and does lots of volunteer work. My mom is the hub of my extended family. She loves to email and talk on the phone so we allow her to the "mouth piece of the family" . Everyone checks in with her on a daily basis. She is the fount of knowledge concerning all things sisters. It doesn't matter if I have just talk to both of my sisters in the last half hour, we all know to just sit down and listen to the recap from mom.

My mom grew up during the depression , so always having plenty of food on the table is vastly important to her. She is terrified that some one may actually leave her table hungry.

Being a gracious southern lady requires her to "kill the fatted calf" and make all your favorite foods. It is her way to show love and affection. It can't be Sunday unless there is fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, green beans and at least 3 desserts.

To do less than you share at the dinner table makes her feel like she slipping in her hospitality skills and ( God forbid) getting too old to provide for the family that she has sacrificed for all her life. Diets to mom, simply means you eat only one dessert.

My mom will also make little stabbing statements like: "You know it does my heart good, to see you all enjoying my food. Did you have a plenty? Do you think I should whip up some corn bread with that?"

The ritual "dance" continued this past weekend and she continues to reigns supreme. Betty Crocker, move over....Meet my Momma!

Labels: Mom, Monday memories